Blackstone City, during the Autumn Curtain Month (October), already carried a touch of desolation. Though the first snow had yet to fall, the air had turned cold, no longer bearing the warmth of the Harvest Month.
Four armored men walked along the stone path in the inner courtyard of the castle. Their breath turned into faint white mist with every exhale. The three younger men following behind the leader could not conceal the excitement and anticipation on their faces. It was clear that something significant awaited them.
After a short distance, one of the young men finally broke the silence and asked the man leading them, "Lord Jorton, is there anything I need to pay attention to when taking the Sub-Dragon Blood Potion?"
Jorton turned and looked at the speaker, waving his hand dismissively. "Look at you, so nervous. Nearly a hundred people have already taken the Sub-Dragon Blood Potion before you, and none have had any problems. Just relax."
The young man scratched his head in embarrassment. "I'm not nervous, my lord. I'm just… excited. After all, once I drink that potion, I'll become a Knight!"
The other two nodded eagerly. Becoming a Knight — a battlefield beast and the reserve of the nobility — was every warrior's lifelong dream. They had trained tirelessly for years, never daring to hope they could advance so soon. The thought that their dream might finally come true still felt surreal.
"Haha, I understand how you feel," Jorton said, his tone softening. "A year ago, I wouldn't have believed a potion existed that could allow an Apprentice Knight to break through directly and become a full Knight. All of this is thanks to Lord Magus."
When Jorton mentioned that name, his voice carried unmistakable respect. The three young men immediately straightened, their expressions turning reverent.
Though the affairs concerning Lord Magus were kept confidential within Blackstone City, all Knights and Apprentice Knights who had taken or were about to take the Sub-Dragon Blood Potion knew that the city's current prosperity and military strength were inseparable from Magus's efforts. Even the founding of the Black Rock Cavalry Regiment was attributed to him.
In the hearts of every warrior within Blackstone City, Lord Magus's status was no less than that of the City Lord himself.
"In short, there's no need to be tense," Jorton continued, his voice carrying confidence. "Once you see the Lord, take the potion, and then you can—"
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. A chill swept across his back, as if something invisible brushed past him. Goosebumps prickled his skin.
He turned sharply, scanning the surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place — the courtyard lay quiet under the grey autumn sky.
"Did any of you see something?" Jorton asked, frowning.
The three shook their heads in confusion.
"Damn it," he muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Maybe I drank too much last night and my head's still not clear."
He dismissed the unease with a shake of his head and resumed walking.
Before long, the four reached the training grounds. From a distance, Jorton saw the Lord — Rune — standing beside Brede near the entrance, the two seemingly deep in discussion. Not far from them stood three large wooden barrels. As Jorton approached, he noticed the barrels were filled with a pale red liquid. The pungent smell told him immediately what it was — Sub-Dragon Blood Potion.
"These are all Sub-Dragon Blood Potion?" Jorton asked, startled. Then, noticing that the scent was somewhat faint, he realized it must be a diluted mixture.
Rune turned as Jorton arrived and said to Brede, "Move these barrels to the barracks. Every warrior who's reached the Knight Attendant level is to drink one bowl a day. Officers will get an extra bowl."
Brede bowed and left with a few soldiers to carry out the order. Rune then focused his gaze on the three young men standing beside Jorton.
"My Lord!" the three said in unison, bowing respectfully.
Rune nodded solemnly, then turned to Jorton. "Only three in this batch?"
"Yes," Jorton replied. "The others are Apprentice Knights who've only just advanced. Lord Magus suggested they stabilize their strength first before taking the potion."
Hearing that the instruction came from Magus, Rune merely nodded without comment. He retrieved three crystal bottles filled with deep crimson liquid and handed them to the young men.
The process that followed was simple. Each of the three took the potion immediately. Two of them broke through to become full Knights on the spot, while the third, though he failed to advance instantly, would likely do so after a few days of cultivation — such was the pattern in previous cases.
Rune congratulated the new Knights and dismissed them, instructing Jorton to escort them back to rest and stabilize their newfound power.
Once they left, Rune stood in silence for a moment, gazing toward the distant walls of the city.
Since the great battle that wiped out the Black Scale Lizardmen, Blackstone City had entered a period of astonishing growth. The number of Knights had surged rapidly. As of now, the city boasted over a hundred full Knights — a number comparable to the military strength of a Viscount's territory that had stood for centuries.
If word ever spread that a single city possessed so many Knights, the entire Starlight Principality would be shaken.
Rune sighed. "It's a pity the blood obtained from the annihilation of the Black Scale Lizardmen has been used up. From now on, we'll have to rely on drawing blood slowly from the captives. Magus's potion production speed will also decrease."
He paused, then smiled faintly. "But that might not be a bad thing. We've been using too much Sub-Dragon Blood Potion recently. There's now a gap in the number of Apprentice Knights. This lull will give us time to train new ones."
His mind wandered to another creation — the Dragon Blood Potion — a more advanced version developed by Magus not long ago. Its effects were far beyond the Sub-Dragon variant. Just four bottles had allowed Rune himself to cross the threshold that countless Knights could only dream of, advancing into the realm of the Great Knight.
The memory still filled him with awe.
It was miraculous — no other word could describe it. The only regret was its scarcity. So far, besides himself, only a few of the city's high-ranking Knights, such as Brede, had managed to obtain it and advance to Peak Knight.
Rune's expression turned serious again. "If only we had more time," he murmured. "If I could give Magus a few more years to develop, retaking the Shanguang Territory would be child's play."
As he walked through the courtyard lost in thought, Rune spotted Old Geller, the butler, leading six or seven servants. They were struggling to carry several freshly de-haired sheep.
"Lord," Geller greeted, bowing deeply when he noticed Rune.
Rune gave a curt nod, his eyes falling on the sheep. "Where are these being taken?"
"To Lord Magus's courtyard," the butler replied respectfully.
Rune raised a brow. He recalled that Magus's courtyard housed a Great Lizard — a monstrous creature captured from the Black Scale Lizardmen tribe. The beast consumed a large amount of meat each day.
But still…
"Three sheep?" Rune muttered under his breath. "Has its appetite grown that much?"
He distinctly remembered Jorton mentioning before that the Great Lizard only needed one sheep per day.
His curiosity piqued, Rune considered asking further but ultimately waved the matter aside. "Carry on," he said.
"Yes, my Lord." Geller bowed again and hurried off with the servants.
Rune stood watching for a moment, his thoughts drifting. Matters concerning Magus were often mysterious, sometimes even unsettling, but they were far beyond the comprehension of ordinary men. He had long since stopped trying to understand them.
As long as Magus remained loyal to Blackstone City, that was all that mattered.
Because Magus's strength — was Blackstone City's strength.
Since the subjugation of the Black Scale Lizardmen, everything within the city had changed. The city walls had been expanded, new barracks built, and the once-quiet forges now burned day and night. Under Magus's direction, the city's alchemical workshops produced potions, weapon coatings, and armor enhancements at a rate never before seen in the region.
Where once only a handful of Knights patrolled the walls, now dozens rode under the Blackstone banner — their armor glinting with a faint crimson hue, the mark of those who had taken the Sub-Dragon Blood Potion.
The civilians had begun calling them "Blood Knights."
Within the noble districts, the atmosphere was equally transformed. Merchants brought in rare herbs, ores, and even captured beasts for alchemical use. The wealth that flowed into the city was unprecedented.
Yet for Rune, none of this was enough.
He knew that prosperity built upon the strength of a single man — Magus — was both a blessing and a potential weakness. If something were to happen to the wizard, the city's rise could crumble overnight.
Still, when he recalled the quiet, unwavering confidence in Magus's eyes, Rune felt reassured. That man was unlike anyone he had ever met. His wisdom, power, and composure were terrifyingly deep — like standing before a vast abyss that swallowed all light.
Rune smiled faintly, muttering to himself, "Perhaps, in time, the world will know his name. But for now, it's best that they don't."
He turned and made his way toward the council hall, the cold wind tugging at his cloak. The chill of autumn carried with it the scent of iron and smoke — the scent of a city preparing for something greater.
Meanwhile, deep within Magus's courtyard, faint ripples of energy pulsed through the air. The servants unloading the sheep didn't dare linger; they placed the carcasses where instructed and quickly retreated.
Within the courtyard, the Great Lizard let out a low, guttural growl, its crimson eyes reflecting the flicker of an alchemical flame from within the lab.
Magus stood before a series of intricate glass tubes and stone basins, his expression unreadable. The air around him shimmered faintly with arcane power.
A new batch of potion bubbled gently on the table, its surface glowing faintly red — the prototype of something even greater than the Dragon Blood Potion.
He murmured softly, "The blood of the Black Scales is still too impure… I'll need something stronger soon."
Outside, the servants who had just left glanced back nervously as another deep, rumbling sound echoed from within the courtyard.
Blackstone City had become stronger, wealthier, and more disciplined than ever before. But none of them truly knew the cost — or what their mysterious benefactor was becoming in his relentless pursuit of power.
Because the strength of Magus was not just Blackstone City's strength — it was its destiny.